May is Better Speech and Hearing Month!

Dr. Steinberg has been treating individuals with hearing loss, tinnitus, and other auditory conditions for over ten years. Prior to founding Elite Hearing Center he was director of audiology at Chicago ENT, a prestigious Ear, Nose, and Throat Practice. During his doctorate level training at Rush University, he worked closely with Dr. Patricia McCarthy, a world-renowned expert in auditory rehabilitation. He has presented in state and national conventions in the areas of auditory rehabilitation and hearing instrument technology. He has worked with top auditory researchers in the industry developing advanced technology used in today’s most sophisticated hearing instruments.

Join us in celebrating Better Hearing and Speech Month this May by dedicating yourself to an ongoing and everlasting commitment to your hearing health now. Organized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA,) you can contribute to the campaign in May by using and sharing their invalid resources on treatment options, research, technology and the education of hearing loss.

Why be concerned?

Hearing loss is in the top three major health concerns for the US population. ASHA wants the public to be consistently informed and have access to information and tools to help themselves sustain their hearing health.

Close to 30 million Americans could benefit from hearing aids, according to the NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders) and around 360 million are suffering from hearing impairment worldwide as stated by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) statistics. Given the lack of information, social stigma and cost, we are all at risk of continued hearing loss.

It is invisible in nature which is why we need to be diligent.

Recognize the signs!

When do you know that the natural process of hearing that we take for granted every day is suffering? Experiencing difficulty in discriminating speech from background noise, distorted sounds, and an inability to hear conversations between one or more people with clarity are some indications.

Constantly asking people to repeat themselves or to speak slower, turning up the volume at a level higher than the comfort of others are further indications. There are a couple more things you can add to the list of things to pay attention to when you are evaluating your own hearing ability: extra sensitivity to particular sounds which cause discomfort or even pain, a constant ringing in the ears, or inability to perceive sounds that are high in pitch like a doorbell or a birds’ chirp.

Prevention is the key

Be aware of your hearing practices and change them for better hearing health now and in the future. Exposure to over 85 decibels of sound, the equivalent of which is the hum of a blender, can cause injury to your hearing. Check the CDC website at https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/listen-infographic to acquaint yourself with the decibel ranges you can gauge for your hearing health.

If you or people you know are using earbuds, make the change to noise-canceling, over the ear headphones if you can. Keep your daily use to 60 minutes a day at 60 percent volume. Stay away from loud, explosive sounds like jackhammers or fireworks. If you are unable to exit a situation the most immediate, effective preventative measure you can take is to carry earplugs and use them when necessary.

The impact of damaged hearing

The decline of our hearing is attributed to many factors. It can range from aging to heredity to a loud work environment. Unfortunately, we don’t take notice until it is too late and damage has already been done by then. As it gets harder to engage in conversation or the ability to enjoy a movie in the theatre or a concert in the park, people gradually disengage from their social and recreational activities.

As we age, that detachment easily escalates into isolation and that in turn can cause depression. At work, our efficiency can be undermined as information specific to a task or meeting goes unheard, lowering our ability to be the professional that we can and should be.

The economic impact on job productivity and eventual treatments people incur is a financial cost that measures in the billions worldwide due to untreated hearing loss.

Evaluate your hearing

An assessment by a hearing health professional at Elite Hearing is the first course of action.

Whether you are already having issues with your hearing or not, know that if you start today to control the health of your hearing the rewards will be forthcoming.

How can technology help you?

There are many aspects to the treatment of hearing loss that cater to a person’s needs and your hearing health professional will be able to direct you to the proper treatment. These could include hearing implements, assistive devices, captioning for your phone or alerting devices for your home to surgical implants which can be incorporated so that you have a fuller hearing experience.

What is your motivation?

Better overall health and well-being – and this includes your hearing health! The connection between your hearing and your physical and mental health is well established by the medical community. Why wouldn’t you want to hear your favorite song again with clarity or be able to converse confidently in your favorite social gatherings?